Most level-based games have a way for designers to try out various ideas, play-test them, and share them with others. We also need a clear idea of the LEVEL DESIGN TOOLS that will need to be built. We'll need a bunch of well-selected images or references that show off the main game theme. We prefer a few Google Slides or PowerPoint slides with Mood Boards - screen shots lifted from similar games or other art found online. The goal here is to convey the level of quality and visual style that the game wants to hit. What is the main platform the game will run on?Īnd how will this game make money? What is its business model? So many aspects stem from this decision. Helpful here are examples of what other games this is similar to but how this title is unique. When we create a game design document it has these sections and formats: High Level VisionĪ brief 'elevator pitch' with the big vision. When it comes to GDDs, pictures are really worth 1,000 words.Īnd when it comes to system design and understanding how variables fit together, the value of spreadsheets is, well, incalculable. Words aren't the most efficient way to express visual or mathematical concepts - and games, primarily, are a visual medium combined with numerical systems. While some folks are excellent writers and can convey detail in a crisp manner, most folks tend to ramble on when trying to get into the weeds and they wind up creating a bramble of ambiguous thorniness. Volume upon volume full of WORDY WORDS is usually not so useful. Each member of the team needs to understand the aspect he or she is responsible for and be able to visualize the title in action before a single pixel is programmed on screen. Ultimately what we (or any competing work-for-hire studio) need is to communicate the full vision of the game to our producers, software engineers, artists, and QA testers. So what should a High Level Game Design Doc look like? As such, Double Coconut has begun offering the service of helping you create your HL-GDD at a highly reduced rate (skip to the end of the article for details!) What's Up, Doc? Grab the template and get to work! You may find that writing a good game design doc is actually a bit of a pain - it requires some specialized skills that combine artistic, technical, as well as creative know-how. and also includes a free HL-GDD template! Not many people understand how to make such a doc, and there aren't many good resources online. Most people that approach us have a cool idea or hook but not a professional doc all ready to go. You can read more about our take on why game costs vary like crazy, but, in brief, trying to price out a project without a HL-GDD is like planning to construct a house without blueprints or filming a movie without a screenplay - doable but generally with overblown budgets and uneven results. To figure that out, a High Level Game Design Document (HL-GDD) is essential. In order to give you an accurate idea of this cost we first need a full and clear understanding of the talent and effort involved. While we adore games here at Double Coconut and would probably make 'em for nothing if we could, we need to charge a modest sum to cover our time.
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